


The Dark Fae of Carterhaugh

by asoftervirge



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Ballad 39: Tam Lin, Body Horror, Childbirth, Dark Faerie!Remus, Discussion of Abortion, Faerie King!Janus, Fairy Tale Retellings, Flirting, Flowers, Fluff and Smut, Horses, M/M, Magical Realism, Mpreg, Nonbinary Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Nonbinary Deceit | Janus Sanders, Nonbinary Logic | Logan Sanders, Outdoor Sex, Scottish Folklore & Mythology, Shapeshifting, Smut, Trans Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Trans Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Unseelie Court, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27319468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoftervirge/pseuds/asoftervirge
Summary: Men and women have been warned not to enter the forbidden forest of Carterhaugh in search of its double roses, for if they did, the mysterious Virgil MacDhugaill will either claim ones’ possessions or even their virginity. However, Roman Mac an Ruaidh wasn’t the kind of prince to follow directions. So, instead, following his adventurous heart, he goes to Carterhaugh and ends up encountering…the man of his dreams?
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 9
Kudos: 62





	The Dark Fae of Carterhaugh

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween 2020, everyone! I’m very excited to continue the tradition of me posting a fic every October 31st until I’ve completely ran out of ideas. This is a fic I’ve had in mind for quite a while now, since about this past summer or so, about how I create a Sanders Sides retelling of the Ballad of Tam Lin, which is a popular piece of Scottish folklore & mythology. It’s still relatively faithful to the source material, but there are some obvious tweaks to it.
> 
> And for anybody curious about the pronouns used, here they are:  
> * Roman - he/him  
> * Virgil - he/him  
> * Patton - he/him  
> * Logan - xe/xem  
> * Emile - she/her  
> * Janus - fae/faer  
> * Remus - it/its  
> * and Remy - he/him
> 
> I liked using neopronouns for this, it was fun! Another thing that might peak everyone’s curiosity, I did in fact use the Scottish spelling for the last names, and the terms of endearments, if I get any wrong then please do correct me. Lastly, the term “Cennend” to describe Logan is an old Anglo-Saxon word that means parent, it’s not a traditional word used for non-binary people, but I figured it work best with the story being told. With that said, enjoy reading everyone and have a spooky holiday! xx Virge

Ever since he turned into a young adult, Roman Mac an Ruaidh was told one thing in particular: young men and fair maidens were forbidden to go into the forest of Carterhaugh. If they did, the mysterious and handsome Virgil MacDhugaill would either a possession of theirs or even their virginity. However, if one does go into Carterhaugh, it would be most wise to ring made of bright shining gold or a cloak colored in brilliant green.

Unfortunately for the Ruler and Prince Consort, their child wasn’t one to follow directions or abide to superstitions of any kind, especially if they can potentially hinder his love of adventure.

And so, this is how we are introduced to Roman, a bright and spunky prince, all dressed in his finest regalia and his flaming red hair all done up fancily, entering the dark and mystifying forest without a care in the world. His reddish-brown eyes glimmering with excitement and daring.

(Here is a fun fact for everyone: Roman is technically the owner of Carterhaugh forest, as his Cennend, the Ruler Logan, owns the surrounding lands, and when xyr son became of age, xe gave xem the woods as a gift, knowing his passion for anything daring.)

Walking into the dark forest sent a thrill up the prince’s spine. This was vastly different from all the times he went horseback riding or practicing combat training with some of the local children he knows. No, this was something a lot more risqué, and therefore, something he actually wishes to partake in regardless of the consequences that may come to him.

Stripping himself of his ghillies and hosen, he hums contently as his bare feet touched the cold, mildewy grass of the forest. He walks in and his eyes wander about curiously, taking note of the various pieces of golden jewelry and green cloaks that were hung on various plant leaves and tree branches.

Then his eyes hone in on the various flora that make up the forest: many of them were wildflowers and berries, but the one he was told to never pick were the double roses that grew in a deeper part of the forest. Which is where Roman was specifically heading to, all the while enjoying the feeling of tree bark against the palm of his hand, or the light brushing of leaves that tickle his forearms as his sleeves were rolled to the elbows..

Looking left and right, he searched for the bush of roses before he finally found them straight ahead. Grinning, he quickly rushes to them and kneels down on the ground, not caring that his crisp white pants would get soiled with dirt and grass stains.

His fingers gently touched the wet flower petals before he presses his nose against the center of one, inhaling its sweet and floral fragrance. Inspecting each variety of roses, he finally decides to pluck one that was a soft but brilliant shade of pink.

As he did so, a breeze suddenly came through the forest. Roman shivered at the feeling. It was a lot colder than the usually autumn winds he’s felt before, and instead of giving him goosebumps, it actually went into his being, making him grow slightly stiff.

“You should know the stories, Princey,” a low and airy voice calls to him. “About what happens to those who enter my haunted glen at this hour of night.”

Turning around, Roman finally gets a glimpse of the spectral Virgil MacDhugaill, and he is just as handsome as the stories proclaim him to be.

Violet surrounded him as an illuminating aura, giving his already pale skin and even brighter glow. Purple and black seemed to be the primary color scheme of his clothes, for he was dressed in a light purple tunic, with black slacks, and boots. A purple and black, patchy cloak clung to his body, almost making him appear more as a specter if anything; the hood was pulled over his face so he couldn’t make out exactly details. But what he did take note of where his silvery-grey eyes and the dark black fringe that almost covered both eyes.

Blinking, Roman nods. “Yes, I am very well aware of the cautionary tales told about you.”

“If you know about them, then why are you here?” Virgil asks. “Surely you also know that by passing through here, you are required to give me either a cloak or a ring.” He didn’t make any mention to the possibility of having sex with Roman, for even though that was part of his legend, he didn’t actually do anything with the other’s consent.

Continuing to blink, Roman stands up, delicately holding the rose. “I’m also aware of that.”

Now it was Virgil’s turn to blink. “So…give me something.” He holds his hand out expectantly.

Feigning innocence, the prince glances down at his being. “Hmm. Imagine that,” he says with an innocent expression on his face. “It appears as though I’ve left my jewels and cloak at home. Such a shame, really…perhaps I can offer you something, a little more… _personal_ ~?” He threw a salacious wink the other man’s way.

At that, Virgil raises an eyebrow.

One moment of semi-awkward silence later, Roman sighed, shoulders slumping a little. “Listen, the reason why I came here was to see if you really were as attractive as they say. And you clearly, so therefore I’ve become attracted to you,” he states bluntly. “And I now wish for you to be inside me this very instant.”

Sputtering, the other man blushes, clearly stunned by what the prince has requested of him.

“Wh— Are you crazy?!” he exclaims. “You do realize what you just said, right?!”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked it, now would I?” Roman raised a brow in return. “Come now, surely you can’t turn down such an offer. Aside from rings and clothing, it is also said that you would claim anyone’s chastity, no?”

Virgil bit his lip, looking anywhere but at Roman. “Y-Yeah, but—”

“Then why wouldn’t you?” With a faint smirk, the prince strides closer to the other man, wrapping both of his arms around his neck. “Besides, everyone back at my family’s kingdom is relatively old. The only one close to my age is Emile, but I’m afraid I don’t have feelings for maidens the same way I do gentlemen.” Fingers began to delicately play with the ends of Virgil’s hair, causing him to bite his lip. “And I _did_ say I came to you for a very specific reason~”

Finally, Virgil turns his head towards Roman. He always heard that the only son of the royal family was quite the charming looker, but he didn’t think he would ever encounter such a man.

Upon getting a closer look, his breath hitches at the mere sight of the prince: how curly yet slight wavy his fiery hair was, all the freckles dotting his face that he wished he would count, how intense his eyes were, like the color of chestnuts.

His regalia wasn’t too shabby either. The white tunic he wore slightly clung to his chest with the sleeves billowing out, the kilt he wore was of dark red with touches of white and gold.

Part of him desperately did not want to do this, but he knows that if he didn’t, Roman would continue to pester him until he finally caved; the thing was…he already started to cave. Slowly but surely, he was falling for his wily temptations.

Smirk now growing triumphant, the prince finally feels himself being pushed back against of the trees in a faraway part of the forest where they wouldn’t get caught. Both of their breaths tickled each other’s face, each of them waiting to see who would bite first.

Grey eyes slowly began to cloud, yet they still remained hesitant. “Are you sure about this?” he asked in a whisper, fog gently caressing Roman’s face.

Not showing any regret or hesitation, he nodded. “Yes, I’m sure,” he insists, pulling the other man closer to him so their chests were now pressed together. “Claim me, Virgil.”

Hearing that made Virgil gulp. Then, after another moment of hesitation, their lips were pressed together for a kiss that quickly grew intense— passionate and eruptive. Slim fingers pulled down his hood and entangled themselves in his hair, tugging and pulling just enough to get a reaction out of Virgil. He could feel Roman’s tongue slipping into his mouth making him moan as it explored him like a drug; he eventually did the same to him, hearing the moan elicited from the prince started to encourage him.

Kisses were then placed along his neck as Virgil’s hands began to strip him of his clothing. Once his tunic was off, those kisses trailed down his chest (peppering along the faint scars underneath his pecs), then then went down to his stomach, before he pulled back to take off his kilt.

As the other man lips burned against his skin, Roman let out lust-filled noise of varying volume— soft like when ones went along his scars, and loud as they went near his lower body.

Upon slipping off his kilt, Virgil gulped and grew slightly in awe at how gorgeous and disheveled the prince looked from just making out alone. A deep blush went across his face (either from the cold or from their actions, he wasn’t exactly sure), red hair sticking to his forehead, bite marks littered his slim yet muscular body, but what got Virgil’s attention the most was the wetness that covered Roman’s inner thighs.

In a strange sense of curiosity and anticipation, Virgil crawls closer, unable to hold back a groan he let out as a warm heat tickled his face. As he did so, he felt fingers returning to his hair, yanking him even closer.

Roman kept himself supported via the tree he was leaning against, even though he wanted to wrap his entire body around his lover while they had sex.

Suddenly, the other man’s curiosity got the better of him as he finally pressed his tongue against the warm mound of flesh, shyly licking one broad stroke. He must’ve did something right because he heard the prince gasp before letting out a keen noise.

“ _Mmm…Virgil~_ ”

Virgil could feel him spreading his legs wider, thighs being coated in more wetness as he now began to lick firmer, broader strokes against his folds. Dark grey eyes casted themselves back up at the prince, growing harder as he just how much he’s pleasuring him. After licking him for a long amount of time (too much in Roman’s case), he begins to push his tongue inside him.

“ _O-Ohh~! V-Virgil~!_ ”

He hummed as his tongue experimentally moved in and out of the prince’s body. Eventually, he pushing himself in deeper, his movements being a mix of slow and meticulous to fast and passionate.

Doing so made Roman tug at his black hair even more, body squirming and writhing in pleasure while his head was thrown back and his mouth hanging agape, louder cries now ringing out.

Soon, a sticky warmth spilled all over Virgil’s lower face making him groan once more. He removed his tongue with a _pop_! before lapping up all the leftover juices that trickled down his lover’s thighs. He pulled back and licked his face clean before reclaiming Roman for yet another searing kiss, both of them moaning as their tongues fought for dominance. As they made out, Virgil stripped himself of his own clothing, tossing them aside along with the prince’s.

Roman felt arms wrapping themselves around the waist, lifting him away from the tree. His legs wrapped around Virgil’s waist as he allowed him to carry him to wherever he desired. Eventually, he felt himself being laid against the soft dewy grass and fuzzy patches of moss. He gazed up at his lover, who looked equally disheveled as he was, a gentle concern shone in his lustful grey eyes. He looked even more ethereal than before, especially with that violet aura.

“Please let me know if I hurt you,” was what was whispered to him.

A warm smile gently graced his face as he reached up to cup Virgil’s cheeks, thumbs caressing the sweat-coated skin. Reddish-brown eyes conveying kindness and reassurance.

“I promise, you could never hurt me, _mo ghràidh_ ,” he whispers back comfortingly. “I want you so much, Virgil. Please claim me as your own.”

Gulping gently, Virgil nodded before lowering himself to give Roman another kiss, this time, one that was gentler and much more sweeter than before. The prince could feel hands slipping into his own, squeezing tightly and almost lovingly as the other man pushed himself inside his body.

Even more moans sounded from Roman while harsh pants and low groans met his ears. His back arched off the grass and moss while the balls of his heels pressed into Virgil’s lower back.

“ _Virgil…Virgil…Virgil~…_ ”

Sensual noises, chants of names, and other erotic praises echoed into the cold night air. Their bodies twisting and turning as they repeatedly took each other. Neither of them caring how many hours passed, all that mattered was the arousal clouding their minds, the orgasms they milked out of each other, and the loved that filled their bodies.

Dawn eventually broke and the sounds of the larks chirped in the trees above.

Virgil was lying on his back, panting softly as he seemed to be regaining control of his breathing, dirt and grass having covered most of his limbs throughout the night. Resting on top of him was Roman, who was also panting softly. The two of them were holding each other with such tenderness and love.

Grey eyes looked over at the prince, smiling gently at him. He brushed some of his red hair away from his eyes, wanting to see the tiredness and love in them. “H-How are you feeling, Princey.”

Chuckling, Roman nuzzled his nose against his jawline. “Sore, but I assure you that I’m alright, _mo leannan_ ,” he whispers back. “I feel so wonderful, having you inside me like this~” To emphasize, he gently shifted, feeling Virgil’s cock brush against a bundle of nerves it brushed against multiple times before. He purred contently at the feeling, taking note of some liquid leaving his body.

Smiling more, Virgil agreed. “I enjoyed it too…especially you being on top of me like you are now,” he admits with an embarrassed blush. “Being able to see you, and to touch and kiss you in that position drove me wild.” He kissed his forehead. “You were glowing radiantly from the morning hours.”

Reddish-brown eyes twinkled in mirth. “Such compliments coming from you,” he teased. “But I hold them dearly in my heart.” He pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “But you were also glowing in the moonlight, my darling, and I don’t just mean the violet aura surrounding your being.”

Virgil rolled his eyes affectionately, taking the prince’s hand and pressing a kiss to it.

Soon the roosters began to crow from across the glen, causing both of their hearts to be filled with sadness. Neither one of them wanting to move as they wanted to preserve the moment just a little while longer.

“I-I…I need to go,” Roman states sadly. “My parents will be wondering where I was the entire night.” Slowly, almost sadly, he lifted himself off his lover, a whimper escaping his lips as his body craved for the other man to be back where he belonged.

“Y-Yeah,” Virgil nodded. He bit his teeth as the prince lifted himself off him, lying there as his lover went and collected his clothing. “I hate the sound of the roosters and morning larks, why can’t it still be the nightingales.”

Roman nodded. “I agree, but we cannot control time.” After putting on his clothes, he went back to Virgil, pulling him in for a sweet and loving kiss. “But thank you for such an incredible time. I will never forget it for as long as I live.”

“But, will I be able to see you again?” Virgil asked, his heart breaking at the thought of not being able to see him again. He silently cursed the predicament that bounded him to Carterhaugh.

Sadness glistened in the prince’s eyes. “I don’t know,” he admits. “But even if I don’t, I promise I will have you and only you within my heart.” He kisses him once more, making it laster longer than before. “Until then, _mo ghràidh._ ”

“…until then, _mo chridhe._ ”

With a bittersweet smile, Roman rushes out of the forest, leaving his heart and soul behind.

* * *

Unfortunately for them both, Roman never makes it back to Carterhaugh for many months.

Over time though, the prince began to notice changes occurring with his body. His stomach and grew more sensitive to certain tastes and smells, throwing up at certain parts of the day; and he suddenly grew more lethargic, not wanting to partake in his usual horseback riding or combat training too long, much to his personal dismay; and he noticed that there was some tightness around his abdomen whenever he wore his traditional clothing.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, Your Highness.” Emile, his longtime advisor, tells him. “You’re such an active young prince, always fighting and riding your beloved horse, so I don’t understand what would cause you to suddenly have a change in mood.”

“I’m afraid I don’t either, Emile.” Roman sighs as he slowly changes out of what he was originally trying to put on. “I know that I’ve been vomiting and feeling more tired lately, but I still don’t know what could be causing it.”

Emile had her back turned to him for a moment, so she could look for a new outfit for the prince to wear for the day. When he finally faced him again, she gasped when she noticed a little round bump that was slowly forming as he put on a different tunic.

Roman looks at him in concern. “Emile? What is it? Is something wrong?”

The advisor blushed and coughed lightly. “Your Highness, if I may ask you a personal question…?” When the prince gave her permission to speak, she continued. “U-Uhm…h-have you had any…s-sexual activity lately?”

“Lately?” the prince raised a brow. He knows very well that he did, having spend a whole night and parts of a morning with Virgil; but that was many months ago. “No…I haven’t for quite a while now. Why are you asking…?”

Emile doesn’t say anything, looking away from him as she continues to blush. “I-I would recommend that you look down, Your Highness…”

Wondering what exactly she meant by that, Roman looked down and noticed the bump. After a moment or two, he was finally able to piece together what Emile was suggesting. “Emmy…don’t tell me—”

“I’m afraid so, Your Highness,” she tells him sadly. “It appears as though you’re with child.”

“What?!/Excuse me?” two voices cried out at the same time.

Taking in a sharp breath, Roman turns to see his parents standing at the front door. Patton’s baby blue eyes were widened in shock, a hand covering his mouth as he took in his son’s appearance; meanwhile Logan looked downright cross, silent rage showing in xyr eyes.

“Da…Cennend…”

“Oh, Roman, sweetie.” Patton cooed sadly, rushing over to his son. He pulls him into his arms, cradling him like he used to when Roman was a young child. “It’s going to be okay, kiddo.”

“Give me a name,” Logan states firmly, staying right by the door.

Roman looked at his cennend, his expression tied between confusion and anger. “What exactly do you mean by that?” he dared to ask xem.

“What exactly do you think I mean, Roman?” xe asked, glare sharpening a bit. He strides into the room and crosses xyr arms. “I want a name of whichever one of our knights did this to you.”

Blinking, the prince now looked confused and offended. “Our knights?” he echoes slowly. “You believe that it was one of our knights who impregnated me?”

Logan nodded stiffly. “Who else could have done this to you?” xe tell him. “I refuse to believe you would go behind our backs and woo shepherd boys or villagers while you seek out pointless adventures. They need to be held accountable and take responsibility for you and the child.”

“Excuse me, Cennend?” Roman grits out stepping closer to Logan, glaring fiercely at him. The air around the four grew thick as both parent and son silently argued with each other. “But I did not flirt with any shepherd boy or villager, or even one of our own knights! How dare you accuse me of being as loose as you state that I am! The only other person that is responsible for my child besides me is my lover who lives in Carterhagh!”

Hearing that elicited different reactions from everyone. Emile’s eyes widened in surprise, Patton looked stunned, and Logan scowled and gave xyr son an even harsher glare. However, Roman didn’t want to hear what they were bound to tell him, so he dashes out of the room, ignoring the various cries and shouts for him.

Running back to the forest should have been a wonderful feeling for Roman, but it wasn’t anymore. At first he went there to have his virginity claimed by Virgil MacDhugaill, which he successful did; but now he has gotten himself with child, and there was no way for his lover to be able to take care of them without leaving the forest.

He couldn’t even enjoy the feeling of the grass beneath his feet or the cool breeze blowing past his hair, instead, he just ran. Ran as fast as he took a large and deep thicket of the forest where he wouldn’t be detected by any passersby.

When he finally comes to a halt, he sees a familiar-looking rose bush from when he first encountered Virgil. Kneeling beside it, he placed his head in his hands as he contemplated on what to do with the pregnancy; a part of him wanted to keep it, but another part of him wished to terminate it due to the fact that he would be a young prince raising a child alone.

Suddenly, he remembered something Emile used to tell him. As she was doing research into becoming a nurse and a midwife, she had previously brought up herbs that could either be helpful in aiding one’s pregnancy, along with the potential of being an abortifacient. So he scrounged about, trying to remember what it looked like based on a verbal description.

After about five minutes of searching, he finally finds one. Happily, he plucks it and holds it close to his face. Gazing down at his stomach, he smiles sadly.

“I’m sorry, dear child,” he whispers. “While you would have been a remarkable babe, I’m afraid I cannot take care of you without your father being there for me. This is the best for us both.”

But just before he could ingest it, he hears a very familiar voice, one that has haunted hi, day and night for many months.

“ _Mo chridhe…?_ What’re you doing out here?”

Turning around, the prince was finally seeing his lover since that fateful moment that bound the two together. Virgil took one glimpse of the herb that was in Roman’s hand and his eyes widened in both shock and awe.

“Wait…a-are you…?”

Sadly, Roman nodded. “I am. I found out moments before I came here,” he explained. “But do not try to persuade me with false words. I do not wish to be with child all alone. If you cannot be there to wed me or be present during childbirth, then I shall terminate this pregnancy.”

“No!” Virgil exclaims before kneeling beside his lover, gently taking his hands in his own. “I would very much love to be apart of this journey with you. I don’t want you and our child to not be by my side. But I can’t for reasons that you might not believe.”

Gaze turning gentler, the princes moves closer to the other man. “Please tell me. What has brought you to Carterhaugh in the first place? Are you an elf or a member of the fae?”

Virgil shook his head. “That’s just it. I’m not a fae or an elf,” he begins. “I’m actually a human.”

Roman grew stunned at this revelation.

“I am a human who was taken in by the Faerie King Janus and faer partner Remus after I had stumbled off my horse during a riding accident. They had taken me in to the faerie kingdom on the hill, but I am not to stay there forever.”

“What do you mean?”

“The faeries have a responsibility they must uphold every seven years. On Halloween, they have to pay a tithe to Hell, but Janus is not fond of sacrificing any of faer kin, so fae prefers to do so with humans instead. And unfortunately, it seems that I am to be sacrificed this year, as I am the only human in their possession and tonight is Halloween.”

Hearing this breaks Roman’s heart. He did not expect the possibility of ever losing the one he loved to the fae by being their sacrificial lamb. Determination now flooded his eyes as he set the abortifacient down and held Virgil’s face in his hands.

“Certainly we cannot allow that to happen.” he declares. “We are going to come up with a plan that will allow the Faerie King to not allow you to be sacrifice, and, that we can raise our child together.”

Grey eyes widened. “Really? You would help me?”

“Of course I would!” the prince smiles. “You are my whole heart and soul, the father of our unborn child. I wouldn’t want to risk angering the faeries if I did not love you the way I do.”

Feeling tears prick his eyes, Virgil plants a tender yet passionate kiss to his lovers’ lips. “Thank you,” he whispers when they broke away. “I love you so much, Roman. Perhaps we can truly succeed at breaking me away from the clutches of the faeries.”

Smiling, Roman nodded. “I hope so. Now, is there anything I should be aware of?”

“The sacrifice is planned to be at midnight,” Virgil tells him. “You’ll be seeing me riding atop a white horse behind the Janus and Remus. To get their attention, you’ll have to pull me off the horse, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself, especially since you’re with our child.”

“Do not worry about me, _mo ghràidh_ ,” the prince reassures. “I can handle anything the faeries throw at me. I’ll be perfectly safe.”

After seeing the expression on his lover’s face, Virgil nods. “Alright then. Janus will get angry and start to transfigure my body into various objects and animals. Some of them may be scary and even dangerous. However, I promise that I won’t hurt you, the only thing you can do is hold onto me as tight as you can, never letting go.”

“I’ve been told countless times that I am a clingy hugger, so that won’t be a problem either.” he teases cheekily. He pulls Virgil in for another kiss. “I’ll be here at midnight, I promise you. And after we face the challenges of the Faerie King, we’ll have our happily ever after.”

“You best be right about that, Princey.”

* * *

Midnight finally arrives and Roman, having slipped past the royal guard, his advisor, and his parents, returns to Carterhaugh. As advised by Virgil, he wears a green cloak as to not catch the eyes of the fae.

Silently, he goes through the forest until he finally comes across the faerie processional.

Curiously, he takes a closer look at the Faerie King and his partner.

The King had golden blonde hair that touched faer waist, a crown made of tree branches and autumn leaves adorned it, with jewels shining in gold and emerald dangling from faer pointy ears and neck. From what he could see of faer profile, the King’s eyes were that of a piercing golden brown color. Faer regalia was also of golden yellow, with embroidery of black on the bodice and skirt; a large flowing cape was draped over faer shoulders, reached down to the rear of faer horse.

Remus had an appearance that bared a close resemblance to his own…if he desired to be a filth-riddled prince, that is. Its hair was wild and unruly, being dark brown or almost black in color; its eyes were a dark emerald green almost like the color of bog water. The outfit it wears was similar to Virgil’s, only it was colored in green and black as opposed to purple and black, with several ornamentations resembling tree branches and leaves decorating it.

They truly looked like members of the Unseelie Court.

At last, he sees Virgil riding behind the Faerie King Janus and faer partner Remus, on a white horse with a neutral expression on his face; though knowing his beloved, he was probably scared about what was to come.

When given the proper opportunity, he rushes out from the bushes and yanks Virgil off of his horse. Upon doing so, he disrupts the faerie processional and cause Janus and Remus to look at him with glares that could almost petrify someone.

“Oh, I do hope you will forgive me by saying this,” Janus states as faer eyes began to glow an eerie shade of yellow. Fae stand off faer horse, making their stature much larger and more intimidating than Roman expected. “But I’m afraid that does not belong to you.”

Remus grins manically as it peers down at Roman and Virgil from behind Janus’s shoulder. “Let me kill him, Janny! We could also use him as a sacrifice!” it exclaims gleefully.

“No,” Janus states as fae continue to stare at the couple. “I’ve a much better idea to make him let go of our sacrifice.”

And thus, the transformative cycle begins. Since the prince was warned of this ahead of time, he makes sure to fiercely hold onto Virgil as much as he could, regardless of how his lover’s body would be as a result of each thing he became.

Virgil let out quiet, pained noises as his body twisted and shrunk in itself as it morphed into a lizard, the first stage of the cycle. Roman still holds onto him with a small smile.

Second, the lizard tail disappeared along with his limbs as his body elongated and morphed into that of a snake. Again, Roman still holds onto him, the snake’s tail coiling around his arm.

Third, the snake started to grow back its limbs and become much larger in size. The snoot became a muzzle and thick coarse fur started grows out to replace the scales. A bear. Howls of pained noises rang out, but Roman kept holding onto him, even whispering words of comfort as his lover roars out in agony.

Fourth, the fur around the bear’s face starts to grow out past its face as Virgil begins to transform into another animal. The thick body starts to thin and the fur goes from a rich brown to a sandy gold. The rounded ears elongate and become larger while the face becomes more feline, the tail going from stubby to long with a brush of fur on the end. A lion. Despite its large size, the prince holds him tightly, body mostly on his lap.

Fifth, the lion’s body starts shrinking as Virgil’s entire body goes from being furry to being smooth and black. Now holding him in both hands, Roman sees that his lover has now transformed into a chunk of red hot iron, purple flames engulfing the rock as it glowed. While the flames burn his hands, he doesn’t let go, silently thinking how easier it was to handle something lighter like this rock.

Finally, the iron is consumed by the flames and now the prince is holding onto a literal ball of fire. Even though the flames have grown hotter and are metaphorically burning his skin, he still maintains his grip on Virgil before dumping him to a nearby well full of water.

Janus and Remus watch all of this with calm anticipation, hoping that Roman would drop their sacrifice at some point during the cycle, but he doesn’t. When he throws the fire into the well, and Virgil climbs out of it as naked as he was the day of his birth, they have no choice but to concede and allow him to return to the mortal realm.

Roman quickly bundles Virgil up in his cloak as to give him some form of decency.

“Very well done, Roman Mac an Ruaidh,” Janus says with a sickly sweet smile. Remus is pouting right beside faer, “You have successfully kept a hold of your darling love while he becomes things he is not meant to be. By doing so, you have allowed him to return to you as a mortal. I wish you all happiness in the world as you build your future together.”

With the help of faer partner, the Faerie King climbs back onto faer horse. However, before they leave, Janus turns back to them, that sweet smile still on faer face.

“However, if I was made aware of the fact you would fall for a mortal prince, Virgil, I simply would’ve started your relationship off by petrifying your eyeballs!” fae exclaim happily. “Ta-ta, my dears! And I must also congratulate you on your child, do keep him far away from Carterhaugh, would you?” With that, fae turns and gallops away.

“Think of us when you gaze into his functional, fleshy eyes!” Remus shrieks before cackling loudly and galloping after its partner.

Stunned and creeped out by Janus’s declaration, all the couple could do was watch as the processional fades away as if they never appeared at all.

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Autumn soon dissipated and winter eventually greeted them with her cold frost and harsh winters. However, not everything was rough during this season, for, with the blessing of his parents (albeit stubbornly from Cennend) Roman and Virgil were able to marry.

The kingdom rejoiced and celebrated for what seemed to be weeks. Plentiful food and goblets of beer and ale kept them filled all season, their lungs repeatedly collecting air from laughing and singing loudly, and their feet sore from all the dancing they done to the lively music.

Virgil would never forget how stunning Roman looked as he was presented to him. A dress made of the finest cloth, with lace on the sleeves and a finely detailed bodice. Flowers, pink roses to be specific, adorned his red hair in the most beautiful of crowns. Simple but elegant gold jewelry accented his ears and neck, little rubies attached as additional decoration.

Seeing Roman’s sweet but loving smile under the thin veil gave him the courage to proclaim his love for the entire kingdom, slip the wedding band onto his ring finger, and kiss him in front of everyone as a sign of their newly married life.

The seasons had flown by after that. Winter melted and Spring bloomed in her place, the glen being colorful with all the various flora that grew.

During this time, Virgil would be attentive of Roman throughout the pregnancy, obtaining whatever it was he desired— be they cravings that could only be found in a village miles away, or the simple comfort of a warm blanket and tea— and making sure that his husband was immensely happy and satisfied. Which he absolutely was.

Eventually, Spring turned to Summer, the sweltering sun burning brightly over the glen as the world returned to its original hustle and bustle.

It was during which that Roman had finally began to experience labor pains. The whole kingdom turned into a frenzy as the process began. At the start, the prince was able to take the contractions with some form of ease, but by the time he was ready to deliver, it had become overwhelmingly unbearable. The pain had transformed from a dull ache into someone thrusting a sword into his innards. He wonders if Virgil had felt the same during his transformative cycle in front of the Faerie King and Remus.

Speaking of his husband, the prince could faintly hear him having a row with his Cennend outside of the birthing room. He couldn’t make out the entire argument, but he could tell that Virgil was wanting to defy the tradition of not being present and Logan being disagreeing to that sort of thing.

However, it appears as though Virgil had won, for he could feel a hand sliding into his own and grey eyes looking down at him with affection and concern.

“Q-Quite surprised to know that Cennend allowed you to be in here,” Roman pants. As a sharp pain hit him, he gasped and squeezed his husband’s hand tightly. “H-How did you manage…?”

“All I had to do was give xem a glare right back and xe let me in,” Virgil smirked. “Though, xe seemed to have relented quicker than I expected.”

Patton came in with Emile, both of them holding pitchers of boiling water and clean linens. “Oh, xe defied xyr own father’s orders when I delivered you, Roman.” he smiled. “It’s natural to be worried and wish to physically be there for the one you love while they’re in pain.”

Both Virgil and Roman looked at each other, a secret smile on their faces as they know the meaning of that quite well. They never did divulge into the details on how Virgil escaped Carterhaugh, but it was fine, as long as they were allowed to openly continue their love.

“Okay, Roman, are you ready to begin?” Emile asks as she gets in between Roman’s legs, hiking the gown up so she could properly see.

“As ready as I’ll ever be…”

Delivery proved to be much more of a challenge than the prince expected it to be. A burning pain coursed through his body as he did his best to bring his child safely into the world. Throughout all of this, he could hear the loud encouragements and counting aloud of his Da and Emile. Virgil meanwhile, was squeezing his hand and whispering reassuring comforts, even dapping his forehead with a cool cloth when desired.

Eventually, a loud piercing cry rang out in the room as the newborn babe was cleaned and swaddled in the softest blankets. Congratulatory words were spoken from Emile and Patton, but Roman didn’t care for any of them, only paying attention to what his husband had said.

“Oh, _mo chridhe_ , he’s so perfect.” Virgil peppered kisses along his sweaty, exhausted face. “No flaws about him. You did such a wonderful job, my lionheart. I’m so proud of you.”

“L-Lemme see him…” Roman tiredly says as he shakily holds his arms out.

With a smile, his husband takes the baby from his Da with elaborate caution before kneeling beside the bed, allowing the prince to get a proper look at their new bundle of joy. He was still asleep, but his little face was scrunched up, mouth in an unhappy pucker.

“My goodness,” the prince whispers in soft awe. “There can be no doubt who his father is.”

“I was about to say how much his looks remind me of you, _mo chridhe_ ,” Virgil smiles as they both gazed down at their son. “Have you decided a name for him?”

Roman carefully inspected the child and ran a hand through their soft, brown down that covered his head. Thoughtfully, he said, “I’m quite partial to the name Remigius, though we can always shorten it if we desire to.”

Looking down at their son, Virgil let the name sit in his mind before testing it on his tongue. “Remigius…Remy…he is well-named, then.”

As if on cue, the babe, Remy, woke to the sound of their voices and began to stir and fuss. The prince took him from his husband and cooed gently at him. Their son ignored it and let out a massive yawn and soon fell back asleep.

Smiling, Roman hummed an old lullaby his Da used to sing to him. Beside him, Virgil snuggled close to his family and pressed a delicate kiss to his husband’s temple.

Months and even years had past Autumn had returned once more. The leaves having changed into multiple colors and gentle floating down from its branches.

It was this season where Roman and Virgil made their way back to the forest of Carterhaugh, a 7-year old Remy bundled protectively in the prince’s arms. They stay on the outskirts of the forest, for they were reminded of the Faerie Kings words from the previous year.

This forest reminds them of so much; all that they had been through in order to achieve their happily ever after. How Roman was the one who chased after Virgil and was the one who ultimately kept his husband in his arms until the necessary time to let go.

White light from the moon illuminated them as they saw the faerie processional went past them, tensing up as they saw Janus and Remus leading the way like before.

Janus stopped and looked over in the direction the couple were. Remus also gazed over their way. Seeing them made their gazes sharpen, but the Faerie King dared not approach nor did fae ask them too. Instead, fae gave them a grin, one filled with sharp white teeth before slowly galloping away; Remus having done the same.

Roman and Virgil shivered a little as the processional disappeared before them. They both huddled closely together, both to avoid the chill night air, and to almost protect themselves in case the Faerie King and faer partner had changed their minds about them.

Little Remy looked up at them with brown eyes. “Who were they, Da?” he asked warily, almost sensing the fact that the faeries, especially the Unseelie, were not people to be trusted.

Neither of his parents spoke for a long time.

Then, Virgil said, “No one, _a bhobain_.”

“Just things from our past, that’s all.” Roman continues on. He cuddles Remy closer to him, smiling down at him warmly. “Now, shall we head back home? Papa can tell some spooky stories, if you’d like before bed.”

“Yeah! Can you, Papa?!”

“For my little _a bhobain_.” Virgil smiles.

As Remy chatters on about what kind of stories he would like, Virgil and Roman look back at Carterhaugh. Huddling even closer together, arms wrapped around each other— fiercely, not wanting to let go for even a moment— they made their way back to the castle, letting all thoughts of moonlight and the cold fade from their memories.

**Author's Note:**

> If you guys enjoyed this Halloween one-shot, please leave a comment and/or kudos! And if you wish to read this on Tumblr instead, my username is @asoftervirge!


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